Garment-closing device.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

I. J. CALHOUN. GARMENT CLOSING DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 15, 1907.

INVENTOH fcia fC'alkaan mmflrd ATTORNEYS WITNESSES :%a 1) H ll -11!! olTmallatwhom itimayi concern ritiknow'ni that. I; IDA J es Ermine, CAL- noimgfmcitizen of the United Statesand; a areeidentiof Tampa ,',-1n the oioimtyof H.1ll'sbor oiigh imdscState Florida, have invented; a

new and Improved Garmentwal osing:Deviee,

act description. se ofthls'inventlon-1s'toprov1de novelnz'etails of construotion :for a garmentclosingr device; which; enable the quick and c: :of which the following, is a full, clear, an(l exconvenient fclosing andv separation v of -oppos 'i-iing'edgesionta body,-or waist of itzWOIIlBJlS i sdresgxoronranyl garment that requires a d ehereinafter described and w .J.,:, i

" Referenceu's to-be had; to the accompany tachable connection of its lappededges when T-h'e-iinvention consists, inthe novel constructio'n and combination 1 of define inthe appended'claims,

'iiig dra'wingaforming apart of; this specification, inwhich'similar characters of reference indicate "corresponding parts in all the views. k

Figi'lre =-1 is a "perspective view of the improved closuredevlce', applied for connecting meetingrea'redgeson a dress body afterit has been donned; Fig.2 is a detached enlarged side view' of an upper end portion of 3: closure device, adjusted for artly closing thetheimproved' closure device; Fig. is an enlarged rear side view of a dress walst in part and a partly sectional rear side view of the n eetingedges of the back 0 "the waist; Fig. 4

' "is a rearjlside view of the improved closure device, 's'howing i ts two sections separated,

" and res ectively secured on separated por- -tions o "a dress body or WfliSt} Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of details of the improvement, taken substantially on the line 9 5-5 in Fig. '3; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View, substantiallyon the line 6-76 in'Fig. 4,

and Fig: 7 is a transverse sectional view, sub

-'stantially, on the line 7 7 in Fig 4.

The improvement may be app ied for closingthe lapped or meeting edges of a garment, such as the waist or body of a womans dress that is open either at the front or rear side.

thereof. 'It is more particularly available, however, as a means for the quick and convenient attachment together of the lapped or meeting edges on a dress body or shirt waist that is open behind, as it eatly facilitates such a connection, and ena les the wearer of the garment to almost instantly close the rear vertical edges of the same, in a neat and s trEs rATE idila'r parts, as is v Mi r. n -.52! if. )1 m annentdis pensmg;'wlth the se v c Qfi anothenp rmn oiss ohlap rp sem 1 ithermor ,therd vicetperm te he Weir the tesabodyoa a st o; q icklydetachith tog t bytmea so t mprov d clo ur iend thereof 'jin(", 5 a 135 ,V

1 In carryingzinto ei'fect the fe jtures of the invention, two similanfiexiblestrips 10, 10

vsuitable width and .a length corresponding -W1ti'1 that of, the waist or ,body A, have ,one edge a. of each: secured ,by sewing or other "means, upon respective edge portions of, the

garment. t The remaining, edges a of the gclow I sure strips 10, 10?. arethickenedcylindrically by securing a round corda thereon or within lapped portions of the same, as indicated in F1gs..5 and 7., 1

appears at the right sideofe Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7,\a plurality of short tubules or claspsvb in cylindric form are mounted and afiixed in close order.

At each end of eral enlargement b is formed, which leaves an opening at the extremity, of each enlargement, an in said enlargements a 100 c is formed or secured, that in service a ords an eye'whichmay:beengaged through the opening in the \bottomwall of eachenlargementb. 1-.1 r

A series 01 tubular clas s dis mounted and secured in sequence ont e corded edge a of the strip 10, said clasps being substantially similar to the clasps b with the exception that from each clas (1 a hook e is projected from the lateral en ar ement d that is uppermost thereon, said ward and upward, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

In arranging the closure device for eflective service, it is essential that the strips 10, 10 be so securedin place along the opposed meeting edges of a body or waist, that when brought together each hook will enter a complementary eye 0 by passing into the normally lower end of an opposite clasp b.

A main feature of the invention resides in the provision ofa two-part closer slide, comrising the followingdetails: A nearly tubuof a suitable length, and such a relative interior diameter as will permit, is fitted to slide freely upon the series of loosely disposed m an. g s th eo t ha' xh ve b enonne devic -t y:p sv a e gesapart mmone end. o t etolo u v e; toward th' Qth .Upon thecordeddge oi the strip iOjthat,

hooks being bent out ar and preferably arcuate shaped sleeve 11,

areemployed; These mainly fiat strips, of a i each tubular clasp a lat- I clasps d that have the hooks e thereon, said sleeve being formed in two half sections that are suitably spaced apart and united together as at g in Figs. 2 and 4. Integral with the two-part sleeve 11, a half portion 11 of a cylindrical clamp is formed on each half section of said sleeve, and projects. laterally or toward the clasps b on the strip 10, and it will be seen in Fig. 6, that the hooks e on the clasps (1 will pass loosely between the half sections 11 of the clamp mentioned; when the sleeve 11 is slid upon the clasps (1.

Upon the series of clasps I) wherein are the eyes 0 a laterally curved tubular sleeve 12 is loosely mounted, said sleeve being formed of plate metal that is resilient,the sleeve having a longitudinal opening therein at the concave side for the free traverse thereof on the strip 10 over the clasps b.

Integral with the sleeve 12, is a tubular locking rib 12 that is formed at a suitable angle of divergence from the sleeve 12, at the side of .the latter, which will permit a free insertion of said rib downward into the bisected clamp 1 1, and it is essential that the latter hold closely clasped said rib 12 when it is fully inserted, thus affording a secure coupling. It will be noted, however, that by reason of the resilience of the side walls of the clamp 11, the two engaged sections 11 and 12* of the closer slide, may be readily disengaged simply by pressin the male and female section of the coupling in opposite directions.

Upon the sleeve 12 a depending flange 12 is formed or secured upon which is mounted a ring 12, from which depends a cord or tape 12", as shown in Fig. 2.

The normal position of the closer slide when the garment has its meeting ed es separated is at the neck band of the ody or waist, with the sections of said slide arranged directly opposite each other. To dispose said sections thereof at opposite points so that the hook and eye connections on the edges of the dress body may freely engage with each other, knobs h h are secured upon the upper ends of the corded ed es a and the uppermost clasps b and d are isposed close thereto.

Each half section of the closer slide may be independently slid upon the clasps b and d and thus moved into proper. position when the waist or body is to be donned for wear; and it will be noted that when the two half sections of the closer slide are impinged against the knobs h, h, the slide will be in position for closing the back edges of the dress body or waist.

Mter donning the body or shirtwaist having the improvement, of course with the back edges thereof separated, the side sections that are'now at the neckband of the body or waist, are connected together by pressing the rib 12 down through the clamp together when drawn or slid downward over the clas 5 b and d.

It w be noted that the laterally and oppositely curved shapes given to the sleeves 11 and 12, permits the loose edges of the garment to gap below the closer slide, but upon pulling the tape 12 downward, the corre- 11 which will adapt said sections to move 4 spondmg downward movement of the slide over the clasps b and (1 will force the latter toward each other, and cause the hooks e to interlock with the eyes c, as the slide is progressively moved, this operation being plainly illustrated in Fig. 3.

When a garment havin the improvement and that has been donner is to be removed from the wearer, the secured lap ed or meeting edges of the garment may )e instantly released by sliding the rib upward and out of the clamp 11, and then with a simultaneous movement ulling the edges of the garment apart, whic will automatically unhook the hooks e from the eyes a and move the closer slide sections upward, the hooked connection being completely detached when the two sections of the closer slide impinge upon the knobs h, h.

As alread stated the improved closer device is pre erably a plied for closing the meeting edges on the liack of a waist or body of a dress, but I do not desire to restrict its use to such a purpose, as it is apparent it may be employed on other garments such as corset covers, corsets, broad girdles or leggings, and without any change in construction, afford eflective service.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a garment closer device of the character described, the closer slide, comprising two coacting sections, one section having asleeve and a clamp projected laterally therefrom, and the other section having a sleeve and a rib that fits into the clamp, and when slid therein detachably secures the two sections of the slide together.

2. In a garment closer device of the char'-.

metal, one section having a laterally curved tubular sleeve slotted at one side, and an integral open jawed clamp extended from the convexed side of the sleeve, the other section of the slide embodyin an open sleeve curved In testimony whereof I have signed my laterally and oppositei y from theother sleeve, name to this specification in the presence of 10 a1 cylindrical rib spaeeddfrom dtliebcurved two subscribing Witnesses.

s eeve at its concave si e, sai .ri bein adapted for slidable insertion into the opeii IDA JOSEPHINE CALHOUN jawed clamp, a depending flan e on the sec- Witnesses:

tion having the rib thereon, and a ring on the FRANCES Gr. BENDING,

flange. E. B. DRUMRIGHT. 

